When the season began, the consensus was the Rockets were no better than the 10th-best team in the NBA West. Now, they exit the All-Star Break only a step off said pace in 11th place, so the eternally optimistic among us might suggest all is not yet lost despite the 33 losses vs. the 16 victories.

But a playoff gait this isn't, not by any measure rooted in reality. Of course, who thought the Patriots could win the Super Bowl? The beauty of sport is that miracles happen.

And the Rockets gaining a postseason berth would be nothing short of a miracle.

So forget the playoffs as a viable goal. The 33 remaining games must be graded on the curve, based on the further leaps-and-bounds growth of individual players such as Kenny Thomas, Eddie Griffin and Oscar Torres, who figure to join the already-established likes of All-Star Steve Francis, should-have-been-All-Star Cuttino Mobley and, knock wood, Maurice Taylor as key components of the Rockets' eventual renaissance.